STAY

LAP OF COMFORT & LUXURY

Hotels, serviced apartments, resorts...

High tech hospitality is the hallmark of Bengaluru hotels. If The Zuri boasts of an innovative whirlpool jacuzzi on the terrace of its two presidential suites, The Leela’s Maharaja presidential suites take it up a few notches by offering bullet-proof windows, closed circuit television and intruder alarm systems. Vivanta by

Taj Whitefield has drop down screens and projectors, pillar-less halls and night vision cameras. Not to mention, La Marvella’s iTouch device that lets you control the lights and the blinds at the push of a button. Not to mention, the TV set, air conditioner and room service. Wow, indeed.

FIVE STAR

THE LALIT ASHOK

Kumara Krupa High Grounds Tel: 6817-7777. 184 contemporary and uberstylish rooms spread over 8 floors, Rejuve Spa, gym, tennis court and 5 conference hall and board rooms. thelalit.com.

SHERATON GRAND BENGALURU WHITEFIELD HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTRE

Prestige Shantiniketan, Hoodi, Whitefield; Tel: 7100-8100. A perfect blend of the local aesthetic with international levels of quality hospitality and comfort. 360 fully AC double rooms and suites with fine dining restaurants, lobby lounge, state-of-the-art health spa and gym, swimming pool, lobby and retail spaces.

ITC WINDSOR

Windsor Square, 25, Golf Course Road Tel: 2226-9898. 240 wood-panelled rooms, 22 suites, Presidential Suite, beauty salon, gift store, currency exchange, babysitting services and cocktail lounge, itchotels.in.

THE TAJ WEST END

25, Race Course Road; Tel: 6660-5660. A five star luxury hotel offering the best in decor, service and facilities, including 45 species of butterflies, 38 species of birds and 54 varieties of trees, tajhotels.com.

TAJ BANGALORE

Near Kempegowda International Airport, Devanahalli; Tel: 6600-3300. A small walk away from the airport, this new 154-key luxury hotel offers unmatched metropolitan hospitality, with panoramic views. Strategically located for business travellers, 30 km from city centre. Host of dining options, state-of-the-art conferencing and banquet facilities, taj.bangalore@tajhotels.com

VIVANTA BENGALURU, WHITEFIELD

ITPB, Gate No. 1, Whitefield Tel: 6693-3333. 199 stylish guest rooms and a spectrum of facilities, including natural mood lighting, interactive TVs, Internet Protocol (IP) telephones, home-theatre surround system, tennis courts, spa, retail stores and al fresco sections.

TAJ YESHWANTPUR, BENGALURU

2275, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Tel: 6690-0111. Modern architecture marks 327 cosmopolitan rooms. Relax in leisure where today meets tomorrow, and business meets pleasure, vivantabytaj.com.

THE LEELA PALACE

23, Old Airport Road, Kodihalli Tel: 2521-1234. The theme of Indian opulence is carried though a variety of suites and rooms all offering rich, warm and soothing experience, theleela.com.

THE ZURI WHITEFIELD BENGALURU

244, Hoodi Village, Near ITPL, Whitefield Road, Whitefield Tel: 6665-7272. A luxury business hotel with five different F&B options, 162 rooms. 1, 14th Cross, South End Circle, 2nd Block, Jayanagar Tel: 4333-5333. South Bangalore’s upscale luxury boutique hotel, ideal for business travellers with premium amenities, luxurious rooms, fine multicuisine dining, stylish lounge bar, banqueting and conferencing facilities, gym and spa, strategic location and round-the-clock concierge services.

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL

56-6B, Palace Road Tel: 4512-6100. In the heart of India’s Garden City, it has an elegant double-height lobby with live piano music. Spacious rooms with luxurious amenities and panoramic city view.

TAJ – MG ROAD

41/3, MG Road Tel: 6660-4444, 6661-4444. Each room features ergonomically designed mobile work desks, de-stress options, a special Rest Easy menu and dual massage showerheads..

ITC GARDENIA

1, Residency Road Tel: 2211-9898. Envisioned as a building set in a garden; this hotel offers 292 large and well equipped rooms, including 13 suites and the largest Presidential Suite in India. All rooms are a study in elegance and are a perfect balance between style and comfort, itchotels.in.

THE OBEROI

37-39, MG Road Tel: 2558-5858. A brand new selection of rooms and suites now renovated to deliver a complete new stay experience, 24 hours spa service,

BENGALURU MARRIOTT HOTEL WHITEFIELD

8th Road, Plot No 75, EPIP Area, Whitefield Tel: 4943-5000. Contemporary style, 391 guest rooms, including 17 suites, spread over 10,000 square feet, hotel restaurants offers Thai, Italian, Deli, tapas and Continental food.

JW MARRIOTT HOTEL

24/1, Vittal Mallya Road Tel: 6718-9999. Located in the business district next to UB city, overlooking Cubbon Park. The hotel offers 10,400 sq ft of indoor and outdoor event space, a Grand Ball Room, luxury spa, heated pool and a choice of restaurants.

CONRAD BENGALURU

25/3, Kensington Road, Ulsoor; Tel: 2214-4444. Stunning high-rise hotel on the edge of MG Road, overlooking the iconic Ulsoor Lake, globally inspired architecture, a blend of old world detailing and modern embellishments, offering style and luxury. Spacious rooms, premium furnishings and bath amenities.

HYATT CENTRIC

1/1, Swami Vivekananda Road, Ulsoor Tel: 4936-1234. It offers 143 well-appointed guestrooms as well as a selection of world class dining, available in the hotel’s two restaurants and bar.

RADISSON BENGALURU CITY CENTER

2, Gangadhar Chetty Road, Yellappa Chetty Layout, Ulsoor; Tel: 2558 8550. Boutique hotel on the banks of Ulsoor Lake. Amenities like all-day dining, free Wi-Fi, round the clock fitness centre, on –site spa. Scenic city skyline view from rooftop pool. Convenient location, near shopping centres, malls, restaurants and temples.

RENAISSANCE BENGALURU RACE COURSE HOTEL

17 and 17/1 Madhava Nagar Extension Race Course Lane Tel: 6835-5555

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT BENGALURU HEBBAL

2, 55, Outer Ring Road, Jogappa Layout, Nagavara Tel: 6122-6777

NOVOTEL

Opp Intel Campus, Sarjapur Outer Ring Road Tel: 6670-5000.

VIVANTA BENGALURU, RESIDENCY ROAD

66, Residency Road Tel: 6660-4545, 6661-4542, 98 rooms, including 4 suites.

THE PAUL

139/28, Domlur Layout, Tel: 4047-7777. An exclusive all-suite luxury hotel with 58 single and double bedroom suites.

THE PARK

14/7, MG Road Tel: 2559-4666. Characterised by its chic Italian restaurant and a bar lounge, this 109-room boutique hotel serves Mediterranean, South East Asian and Indian cuisine.

THE RITZ-CARLTON

99, Residency Road Tel: 4914-8000 Luxury hotel located within easy access to prominent business districts and shopping destinations. Spacious rooms and suites, with fine dining restaurants, spa with luxury treatments, ideal venue for meetings and events.

THE CHANCERY PAVILION

135, Residency Road Tel: 4141-4141. 223 rooms, including executive, presidential, club pavilion, long-stay and theme rooms.

SHERATON GRAND BANGALORE HOTEL AT BRIGADE GATEWAY

26/1, Dr Rajkumar Road, MalleswaramRajajinagar Tel: 4252-1000. Enjoy city views and relaxation from 230 spacious rooms and suites, designed with your comfort in mind, and offering amenities to suit the needs of both business and leisure travellers.

STERLINGS MAC HOTEL

134, HAL Airport Road, Kodihalli Tel: 4249-4949. Luxury hotel with a good blend of business and leisure, offering features and comforts for both professional and personal stays,with 40 premium rooms,60 deluxe rooms and 45 executive rooms.

RADISSON BLU

90-4, Marathahalli Outer Ring Road Tel: 6707-6909, 4909-4909. With an outdoor pool, sun deck and poolside bar, 24-hour fitness fentre, business centre, spa and beauty salon.

GRAND MERCURE

12th Main, Koramangala Tel: 4512-1212.

THE ROYAL ORCHID REGENTA

1, Golf Avenue Tel: 4178-3000 Close to the International Tech Park and over-looking a golf course, it has 195 rooms, including nine executive suites and several serviced apartments.

HILTON BANGALORE EMBASSY GOLFLINKS

Embassy Golf Links Business Park Challaghatta Tel: 6679-9999. Excellent location, proximity to commercial nerve centres of MG Road, Indiranagar and Koramangala. Efficient and personalised hospitality with state-of-the-art business and leisure facilities. Spacious 247 studios and suites, 4 dining venues, and round-the-clock services make this the hotel of choice for business travellers and long-stay guests.

THE OTERRA

43, Velankani Software Campus, Behind Infosys, 1st Phase, Hosur Main Road, Electronic City Tel: 3003-0303, 4266-6666.

FOUR STAR

COMFORT INN INSYS

46,1St Main Road, Mathikere, Yeshwanthpur, Tel: 4646-8000 Located in the bustling industrial suburb of Bangalore, Comfort INN Insys is dedicated to providing you with the best business experience.

COUNTRY INN & SUITES BY RADISSON

Plot No.514,Outer Ring Road, Opp Lumbini Garden, Nagawara Tel : 6738-3939 All-facilities business hotel. Strategically close to Manyata Tech Park with complimentary pick-up and drop. 20 minutes from Bangalore International Airport. 70 well-furnished rooms, 24-hour restaurant, lounge bar, fully-equipped gym, rooftop pool and bar, banqueting facility for 200 persons.

WELCOMHOTEL BENGALURU

46, Richmond Road Tel: 2500-1700. A stylish hotel that offers spirited service to savvy travellers and provides a range of accommodation options allowing you to choose the one that is best suited to your needs, be it business or leisure.

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES

94, 16/1, Seshadri Road, Race course, Gandhi Nagar Tel: 4620-5900

FORTUNE PARK JP CELESTIAL

5/43, Race Course Road Tel: 4666 4100. 4 km from MG Road, 1.5 km from the railway station and easy access to the airport. An ideal business locale and pleasant ambience. backed by warm hospitality.

THE CHANCERY

10/6, Lavelle Road Tel: 4118-8888, Corporate hotel with 125 rooms, a common pool table, and bathroom music.

FORTUNE SELECT JP COSMOS

49, Cunningham Cresent Road Tel: 3988-4422, 4243-4243. A selection of 134 well appointed rooms, including one presidential suite and one room for the physically disabled. The hotel offers the best of world cuisines and serves a variety of sundowners and myriad cocktails.

FORTUNE SELECT TRINITY

134-136, Road 1, EPIP Area, Whitefield Tel: 4020-0200. Boasts of 142 rooms with state of the art amenities, including wi-fi connectivity, world cuisines and more.

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON

43/3, Whitefield Main Road Tel: 4030-1212. 102 guest rooms and suites with roof-top swimming pool, all-day dining restaurant, well equipped business centre and high speed internet access.

ROYAL ORCHID CENTRAL

47/1, Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road Tel: 4193-5566. 130 rooms, including four executive suites, one presidential suite, 107 club rooms and 18 studio rooms.

ALOFT BENGALURU

17C, Sadaramangala Road, Whitefield Tel: 6670-7777. High-tech entertainment centre, with free Wi-Fi and connectivity station that recharges your gadgets and links to the LCD TV for optimal sound and viewing.

ST MARKS HOTEL

4/1, St Marks Road, Shanthala Nagar Tel: 4001 9000

OTIUM BY THE OTERRA

26A, Electronic City Phase I, Hosur Road. Tel: 4040 8888

THE PRIDE HOTEL BENGALURU

93, Richmond Road, Langford Gardens Tel: 4348-4348. Centrally located, four-star business hotel. With gymnasium, banquet hall, multicuisine coffee shop, rooftop restaurant with Punjabi dhaba theme, and bar.

CITRUS HOTELS

34, Cunningham Road Tel: 4539-0000. When it comes to hospitality and luxury here, it’s all to ensure you the comfort of home.

MGM MARK

23, EPIP Zone, Whitefield Tel: 4198-5555.

24 TECH HOTEL

Prestige Technology Park, Sarjapur-Marathahalli Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli Tel: 2254-5100.

RADISSON BLU ATRIA BENGALURU

1, Palace Road Tel: 2220-5205, 2225-6850, 160 rooms and 8 suites.

LEMON TREE

23, EPIP Zone, 2nd Phase, Whitefield Tel: 4331-1555, 4331-1556.

THE ELANZA HOTEL

88/2, Richmond Road Tel: 2223-3666. Luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Bangalore central business district.

LA CLASSIC BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Plot 158, Yadavanahalli, Hosur Main Road, Attibele, Anekal Taluk Tel: 2802-1717. A luxury four-star hotel offering a suite of services for business and client meetings, corporate gatherings, family get-togethers and special events.

LEMON TREE PREMIER

2/1, St John’s Road, Ulsoor Tel: 4480-2000.

THREE STAR

OAKWOOD

UB City, Vittal Mallya Road Tel: 2234-8888. Situated in the heart of the city and 35 km from the airport, Oakwood Premier offers impeccable hospitality throughout its 177 rooms to make your stay special.

DAVANAM SAROVAR PORTICO SUITES

Davanam Plaza, Hosur Main Road, 2B Block, Koramangala Tel: 4933-3555. Spacious, tech-savvy rooms with kitchenette,round the clock room service. Superior hospitality at competitive pricing.

RAMADA ENCORE

282-285, 1st Stage, Inner Ring Road, Amarjyoti Layout, Domlur Tel: 4060-2022. Innovative rooms featuring lifestyle amenities.

IRIS

70, Brigade Road Tel: 4055-5888. State of the art business centres with WI-FI throughout the hotel. You can relax in an atmosphere of comfort and culture while being close to some of Bangalore’s finest attractions when you step out.

THE CURZON COURT

10, Brigade Road Tel: 4121 6946

HIGHGATES HOTEL

33, Church Street, MG Road, Tel: 4022-2999.

OCTAVE HOTEL & SPA

14, Sarjapur Main Road, Kaikondrahalli, Tel: 4120-7630.

NALAPAD’S HOTEL BANGALORE INTERNATIONAL

2A-2B, Crescent Road, High Grounds Tel: 2226-8011.

MELANGE

21, Vittal Mallya Road Tel: 4112-0399. Perfect for both corporate and leisure travellers.

DELUXE

THE WAVERLY HOTEL & RESIDENCES

Whitefield Main Road, VR Bengaluru Mall Tel: 6708-9000. Nominated for The International Hotel & Property Awards 2016. World class facilities with lifestyle hospitality. Stay options from studio to 3-bedroom residences, in-house dining, luxury spa, fullservice gym, movie theatre centre, private screening rooms and bookstore.

GOLDFINCH HOTEL

• 32/3, Crescent Road Tel: 4129-1300, •166, MLA Layout, RT Nagar Main Road, Tel: 4334 6600.

Giving wings to dreams

The dynamic Neena implements her vision to revolutionise hospitality

By Smiti Jain Narayan

“Always beginnings are good,” starts saying Neena, the dynamic hospitality professional who has been helming a leading hotel chain of Coimbatore. This statement sets the tone for the rest of her freewheeling conversation on her outof-the-box but very relevant ideas, vision and mission for the hospitality industry as well as the society at large.

Neena wears many hats – that of an entrepreneur, hotelier, social reformer, philosopher, reformer… the list is long and her dreams are many. The road ahead is uphill, fraught with skeptics and non-believers, but the lady is not one to give up or accept ‘no’ for an answer. She has her mind set on bringing about a revolution of sorts in the hospitality world where everyone is intent on only looking at the bottomline while missing the big picture for the future.

“Empowering the manpower is the need of the hour...”

Neena wears many hats – that of an entrepreneur, hotelier, social reformer, philosopher…

In her latest avatar she is Founder and Chairman of Arthida Creations, an offshoot of her existing Arthida Foundation for Lives. The mission of this outfit is “Empowering the Manpower” – a cause close to Neena’s heart.

Hospitality is one among her many visions. During Covid the hotel industry languished, but post-Covid people are travelling with a vengeance and hotel occupancy is up-to 80% and even all set to reach 100% occupancy. But the manpower for the hotels is still at 50% or less, due to several factors like retrenchment during the pandemic, relocation of staff to their native places or reimagining their professional life. There is an urgency to fill this large gap. Today’s crisis facing the hospitality industry is a manpower crisis, with severe shortage of “employable” staff. They are finding it hard to place, and even harder to retain, employees. The problem starts at the level of the hotel management colleges, which are churning out students who have not been taught the very basics which form the foundation of the hospitality industry. The first basic step which is “smile”. This one small word called smile is as important as the uniform donned by the hotel staff. How to greet, how to meet and how to treat guests. How to welcome them with a smile and make them feel warm. This training is never imparted in any professional course even though it is the most crucial aspect of this industry.

One of the objectives of Arthida Creations is to fill this gaping lacuna in the current situation, and provide the relevant training at various levels of how to groom any prospective or existing hotel staff to become equipped with the requisite interpersonal skills for guest relations.

This is the education of a warm welcome, courteous language, hospitable body language, confidence to talk to guests and other such intangible but very essential skills that form the building blocks of hospitality.

“Common sense is the parent of knowledge and education...”

Training provided to new recruits in hotels is more on practical and day-to-day running operational matters. But, this teaching which goes beyond perfunctory training is missing, which has to be inculcated in them to develop confidence. This is what Neena calls empowering the manpower – i.e. equipping them with the power to handle the guests with complete warmth, ease and confidence, by enhancing their personality and skills.

The hotel industry’s preoccupation with revenue and bottomline is a short-sighted outlook. If the aspect of personality development and soft skills teaching is not addressed on an urgent footing, within a space of 10 years, the service standards will be lost forever. Thereby, losing the very edge that the hospitality industry stands on.

Employees will forget the basics of welcoming guests. This will be a death knell for the hospitality world indeed.

Hoteliers have to rise beyond the mindset that business has now picked up postpandemic and therefore they don’t have to bother with staff education. Neena is a wake-up call to the industry to come out of their cushy comfort zones of ringing cash registers, and smell the coffee that’s brewing ready to blow up in a few years’ time.

Neena wants to fill this service gap by providing staff level training, inside the hotel training as well as college student level teaching. She wants to shake up the complacent industry to sit up and seriously look at fulfilling this gap with foresight and responsibility. It is her way of doing a service for the hospitality industry which has been a part of her for so many years. She also wants to sensitize the hoteliers, owners and investors that they are providing livelihood for so many families which are dependent on their employees.

In the end it all comes down to good administration and sound management. If the administration in strong, the revenue and the balance sheet will automatically become strong as well, she explains. Her expertise which she wants to bring to the fore now is how to revamp the hotel, and create a good administrative practices to take care of the issues, present and future. For manpower crisis, manpower knowledge and manpower empowerment is needed. “In manpower today, man is there but power is missing!” she says. With filling the existing gaps, one can check the revenue leakage, ensure that owners and employees equally benefit, and profit and loss is maintained optimally.

Message and mission of Arthida Creations is to involve all the parties in fulfilling the future of hospitality industry. The solutions lie in education, counselling, guiding, training, coaching the individual employees to make them the right ‘fit’ for the whole organisation. She exhorts people in power to enhance their common sense.

“Common sense is the parent of knowledge and education.” An employee should work very happily. Reaching, acceptance and implementation of the training is important.

Neena wants to provide this personalised training, personalised guidance, personalised advice to each and every employee and employer, in order to rekindle the spark and sparkle of hospitality world.

Neena the one-woman army, marching ahead relentlessly for creating change with far-reaching impact...

Like the “pancha bhuthas”, there are five basic elements that need to be taken care of, namely, food, shelter, education, medicine and peace...

Going beyond hospitality, Neena is also very passionate about her social reform works which she has been involved in with her Arthida Foudation, whether it is for uplifting of the underprivileged, the weaker sections, the transgender people or other marginalised sections of society. Tribals, the differently abled and many other categories of people face issues that are often swept under the carpet by society which she takes up and reforms.

Like the “pancha bhuthas”, even the underprivileged have 5 elements that need to be taken care of, namely, food, shelter, education, medicine and peace. These 5 basic requirements she likens to the pancha bhutas which are essential for any life.

With her 27 years in the hospitality industry, Neena is now ready to expand her wings and bring her passion, zeal, commitment and organisational skills to make a larger difference.

She is very philosophical in her approach. As she says, “There should be a reason for each and every birth. I should always respect my birth reason for others, the people around me, the needy. From a plant to a human being, I love to pass every second talking only good about everyone, with no expectation. What I know, I will share. What is good, I will pass on.”

Through her vision and deep philosophy and ideas, her commitment and her energy to bring about a change are apparent in every activity she undertakes. She is a onewoman army, marching ahead relentlessly for creating change for far-reaching impact.

“Taking the example of a small village with 200 families, it is a sample of a small universe. Why can they not be like us? I want to give them an equal platform for them to realise their potential as well, teach them what I have learned naturally from my own experience and surroundings. I want to empty my good things to people,” she trails off. Neena is unstoppable, with her many ideas, which all come down to service for people everywhere. She moves ahead – with passion, with energy and with the courage of conviction on her side. Arthida Creations is for employees’ guidance, counselling and the rights of staff, and empowering the manpower. It is equally there for employers and owners for very strong administrative control, enhancing revenue and arresting the revenue leakage and ensuring that owners stay as owners.

Arthida Foundations For Lives is for taking care of the underprivileged and needy people for providing the five elements of food, shelter, education, medicine and peace all around.